Journey Jems celebrate premature babies' progress

Girl Scout project marks milestones for babies, families

A local Girl Scouts’ community service project is helping families celebrate their babies' milestones when they are born premature.

Every year in Nebraska, more than 3,000 babies are born premature, which presents many challenges for those babies and their families.

Doctors at Bergan Mercy Medical Center said premature babies, like Camden Shirley who was born 10 weeks premature, could spend weeks in the hospital before they can go home.

“So many hurdles for the babies to overcome when they're born so early and so small,” said mother Melanie Goans.

To make the journey home easier, Millard West junior Breanna Burklund created a program called Journey Jems, which is part of a Girl Scout project she started in January.

“Each milestone their baby goes through, they will get a different bead to hang on their necklace to take home with them,” Burklund said.

The milestones are small and monumental, like growing to three pounds, no longer requiring oxygen and having an IV removed. Two local hospitals are already involved in the project. Those who participate say the necklace grows with the baby and gives parents a connection until the child is ready to come home.

“We leave the necklace hanging in the room, and the day they go home, the parents wear it on the way out,” said Abby Saunders with March of Dimes.

The Journey Jems program is partially funded through March of Dimes and money Burklund received through awards at school. With more than 100 hours of preparation, she said it is nice to see her program in progress.

“I've seen a couple parents when they walk out and they wear the necklace and they feel really special because they know what their baby went through,” Burklund said.

“That little bead is a nice reminder and a nice celebration that you are making progress, and that this isn't forever,” Goans said.